Welcome 2019 – Furniture Makeovers To Come

Yipee, 2019 is here.
A brand new year full of possibilities. Full of ideas and plans. Fresh and new.I’m excited.Truly.

I’m so excited about all the plans I have for this year, and this blog, and my other little food blog too.
Lots happening this year so hold on to your seat! ;)

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Today I thought I’d welcome in the new year with all the makeovers that haven’t gotten done in the past few years.
But ARE going to get done this year. And hopefully, early on this year. :)

It’s just TIME.
No, it’s past time.
Or maybe it’s high time! haha Yes, that’s it.
That’s what my sweet hubby would say…”it’s high time you got busy on those and got them outta here!” lol
So I’m going to.

Some of these furniture pieces have been with me for years…and years. Oops.
And these are not all, just the ones I had photos of.
I have a couple more in the storage units to redo besides these. (I have an old antique tv cabinet, a wine bar cabinet and more)

These are getting their long overdue makeovers and making their way out to their brand new homes. :)
Then maybe I can go back to ONE storage unit. (and then hopefully NO storage unit once we build our new shed)
Not enough time in the day, I tell ya! ;)

Let’s start with this beauty…

I paid $50 for this at our local thrift shop.
I couldn’t believe it when I found it…isn’t it amazing????

…but it still had a record from the 40’s on there!! Isn’t that something???
“Why Does It Get So Late So Early?” is the song.
Want to hear it?( you know you do! ;) ) >>> Click here to hear it, it’ll take you right back.
Love, love it!

From what I can gather from a short bit of research, the cabinet/radio is circa Sept/1929. Wow.

And isn’t that speaker lovely? So ornate with such detail.

The bottom doors are where the radio is…. ( a little wonky as you can see)

They did have a few of the knobs but not all.

The backside….

Apparently they had to cut that wood to get those tubes in.

I mean, hello?
Intimidating much??
I think that is what my problem with this one was.
I was 100% completely intimidated with giving this one a “makeover”.
To this day, I don’t feel worthy to give it one! lol I mean, look at all those lovely old memories just there.
How do I change, tear apart, paint or whatever??
We did end up having to take the radio and speaker parts out of the back to move it because, wow, those parts are HEAVY.
We still have them but haven’t put them back in yet.

I had considered taking out all the insides completely and making it a bar cabinet or something similar.
But I have this very sentimental side that makes it hard for me to do anything to it.
Especially since someone left that record on there! I can just imagine the days of this piece being beautiful, shiny and new, everyone sitting around listening to the radio or this beautiful song and I can’t bring myself to take it apart. But what do to with it??

And look at it’s sad state.
Honestly, I’d love to restore it. Every single thing in and on it.
But I don’t have a clue how to do that with the insides…so it sits.

So, what do you think I should do with this one??

This dresser/mirror set is begging me to give it a makeover.
This is how I found it in the store….years ago.

I have a few ideas on this one. Looking forward to getting it done.
I love that it still had the mirror with it.
I think I paid $35 for this set.
It’s got a few drawers that need repair.

Then this one…that I have no clue what I paid at this point.
I think in that same price range (30ish). I found this one at one of our local Goodwill’s.

It’s got a really wonky drawer or two and I think that kept me from tackling it before now.
Repair work before I can begin, ugh.

How about this goody?? Got this one for FREE. (it was in the trash pile!)

It was just down the street from me and I saw it as I passed by on my way home one day.
I usually never take home painted pieces but who can pass up free?? lol
I will have to do a lead test on this though as that paint job on it looks quite old.
And that’s what kept me from tackling this one all this time. ;)

This is a newer piece. I think I found this one last year.
I got it at a fall or spring market type of thing.
I’m not sure what at all it is or is supposed to be because it’s so short.
I think might have sat on top of something else, maybe? (the large door opens up to shelves)

I love the detail on this one but don’t have a clue at all as to what to do with it.
Any ideas??? I’d welcome them!

Another fairly new-ish one.
I thought this set would be cute made over for a child.

And remember this one I shared recently?? It’s 1 of 3 that I got from a friend who was moving, for free.

Here is is again…

I’ve already given the other two makeovers already. As a matter of fact, the one behind this one in the truck is my new “coffee bar”.

I had an idea for this one and I may still do it. It involves fabric. :) Stay tuned.

Lastly (well, not really, I have a few more pieces in my storage unit) this one….

I simply wanted to restore this one.
It actually needs quite a bit of work. The sides are broken and a couple of the upper poles/? are broken as well.
Plus, I have yet to be able to find the original clam shell cast iron trays that were in the bottom. (someone had replaced them with those cheap metal ones you see there, that don’t even fit correctly)
There was also something different in the tray section above the drawer as someone replaced that with a modern tile at some recent point.
It’s just not right. I would love to know what was there originally. Maybe some other decorative tile or ceramic piece?
I’m not even sure as the trim around it looks new and not original. Quite confusing!

I do know that it’s from the 1870’s. (check out this one that is very similar…notice the clam shell drip pans)
I found it at an estate sale of a home that was originally a Civil War boat captain’s home. (it was built in 1890)
I’m thinking this hall tree was original to the home. How cool is that?
I took it home with me for $85. What a find!

Okay, so that’s what I’ve got going on and into 2019, among other things.
Tell me what you think of each piece and please tell me what you would do with each!
I would LOVE some ideas.

Happy New Year and I hope you have a wonderful New Year’s Day, beautiful friends!!

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Comments

Happy New Year to you and yours Nancy!
Looks like a fun, busy year for you. :) Seriously busy. lol I adore and look forward to seeing more of all these pieces you are going to transform. Clearly, your storage unit(s) are holding some treasures. :)

Nancy,
I think the small piece would make a great jewelery armoire. Depending on what the inside looks like, you could add small hooks to hang jewelry from. Just a thought.
Thank you for all of your inspirational ideas. Have a blessed new year.

Please, please, don’t paint the dresser! Leslie is right, that gorgeous tiger oak/maple shouldn’t be covered with paint. The beautiful “short” little cabinet with shelves either. The woodgrain on these two pieces is breathtaking to me. I can see these two incorporated into a kitchen with the same wood cabinets. A girl can dream, right? The radio… a museum piece perhaps? I too would be intimidated but I wouldn’t touch it either until I spoke with an expert in antique radios. Priceless really, I’ve never seen another like it. Oh, and the cream painted cabinet/dresser… I love it as well with the doors at the bottom. If it were mine, I’d strip off the paint a bit to see what type of wood it has. Love all the detail on the doors and the drawer pulls. Super excited to see what you find out and decide to with all of these treasures!!
Happy New Year dear girl and thank you for sharing your talents, you keep me inspired!

Hey Jane!! No, I don’t think I will, and if I do, only partially not covering up that pretty design. I have to think a bit on all of these. (even though that’s what I’ve been doing for years!! lol) That radio cabinet is the main one that has me staying back. Not sure what I will do with it yet? And yes, that painted one is most definitely getting stripped down to the wood. Can’t wait to see what’s under there! :) Looking forward to digging in on all of these…finally! ;) Happy New Year, sweet friend! xoxo

Gorgeous pieces. Loving that radio and record player. That must have been something in its time. I have the second item. That dresser which I recently picked up in a thrift store. Wish I could post the before and after pics of it. I ended up refinishing it because it was in better condition than I had originally thought when I bought it. I love painted furniture but also love refinished furniture too. I feel for your dilemma with some of these. Just do what you think you would like if you were keeping the piece. Cheers and happy New Year.

Happy New Year! I see the white dresser/buffet with a wood top (or painted to look as such if too much damage) and painted with red milk paint and distressed to show layers. The hardware is screaming to be released from it’s paint cage :) and let some patina show through, maybe oil rubbed bronze to coordinate with the dark top.

I also have a soft spot for Tiger Oak and would either refinish or do minor paint updates leaving the drawers and most of wood grain showing. Can’t wait to see how all your projects turn out this year!

Thank you Rebecca, Happy New Year to you as well! :) And yes, it’s hard to tell of damage with all the paint on that one. Will have to dig in and see! I agree, though, that the hardware is begging to be released from its paint prison. lol Yes, I’m thinking that other dresser may just get refinished or only partial paint. Sometimes the wood is just to pretty to cover up! :) xoxo

The radio cabinet is fabulous. Is the front burl? It should be restored and you are the perfect person to do it! Whoever this piece belonged to should be proud it landed in your loving care. Good luck with all your projects and have a wonderful and healthy 2019!

Those are amazing pieces. I can understand why you’ve put them on the backburner. The cream dresser could be really cute in a child’s room, so maybe this could be your opportunity to try a soft pink or blue? I don’t know. For most of the others, I wouldn’t know what to do either! I can’t wait to see what you come up with.

They really are! I just couldn’t bring myself to paint some of them, and the others needed work, so they sat…for years! ;) Time to do something with them all, paint or restore/refinish. Yes, I think you are so right on the small painted dresser. A pale pink would be so pretty on it. I can’t wait to dig in and get busy on these! xoxo

That radio/phonograph piece SHOULD be in MY garage!! LOL! Oh my, it is priceless, and I do hope you will treat it with great care. Personally, since it is so unique, I would just clean it up, add a knob or two, and then get a new needle for the phonograph. Does the radio work? If not, I’d go through the trouble to see if I could get a replacement radio; and if really necessary, replace the phonograph with a new turntable. It is just too unique to modernize, in mho. Good luck with all the pieces. I know you’ll do a fabulous job! Happy New Year, too!

Haha! Yes, it really is a priceless find. I don’t think the radio worked or even know if the turntable worked either. I may try to contact someone locally and have them take a look before I do anything at all to it. :) I have my work cut out for me this year! ;) Happy New Year Cate! :) xo

Would it be possible to research this piece through RCR Or find the furniture store it came from?Certainly a unique piece. The cream dresser would make a great piece for a child’s room or for a small kitchen. I see it used for storage and possibly hold micro wave. ,or tea /coffee bar. I know your creative spirit will lead you in the direction needed. Have a great New Year.

Hmm, I did do a bit of research but it only got me so far. I found out the year of manufacture but I hadn’t been able to find out much else about it. It’s an amazing piece though. Oh yes, I think the little painted dresser would be great in the kitchen. The size makes it a good addition there or a child’s room, like you say. I can’t wait to get that paint off and see what’s under there! :) Happy New Year to you! xoxo

Wow I can definitely see why you had a hard time starting on these pieces! They are all beautiful! It makes It is so hard to take a paintbrush to them. Can’t wait to see what you do in the new year my beautiful friend! Happy New Year!! XOXO

Keep that RCA Victor record player. Google or talk to a furniture restorer and see what to do first – take the guts out but have pictures of each step you do – from beginning to end. That piece of furniture must be saved! Talk to Kathy on “Petticoat Junktion” or Marie on Interior Frugalisa. Find someone with good advice!!! Please show us soon what you decide to do with it. You’ve got a lot of beautiful pieces of furniture!

Hello Nancy! I am a new follower of your postings. First, Happy New Year! I hope you successfully achieve all your planned 2019 ventures. I Love that old Record Player Cabinet that you recently showed. I have taken the liberty of sending you a photo of a piece of furniture from the same era, that would be awesome if refinished in the same manner.

It would be awesome to totally restore the record player to its original glory and in working condition! As for the beautiful short cabinet with the large door and beautiful carving, it could be mounted on the wall as is, or perhaps paired with the dresser since they are similar in color to create a hutch type piece. Look forward to seeing what you decide! I understand your concern with lead based paint, I cringe to think of projects I tackled when I didn’t know better that had old paint that probably contained lead. Makes me very nervous to buy old painted pieces.

OH, I so agree Vicki! :) Can you just imagine? And I hadn’t thought about mounting the short cabinet on the wall, that’s a thought! I know, the lead paint…yuck! I usually never buy anything painted for the reason alone, but it’s hard to pass up free and see something like this go to the dump. I’m SO hoping it doesn’t test positive for lead! We’ll soon see. :) xoxo

Well Nancy this is a tough piece to deal with. I tried many years ago to have one similar to this reconditioned only to find that the tubes in the back couldn’t be found or replaced and even if they were found it probably wouldn’t work anyway. It was also going to be quite expensive and for that reason I chose to not refinish it. We ended up taking all the guts out and made it into an outdoor but not really waterproof cooler out of it. It could go outside but had to have shelter over it. The doors were on the top of this cabinet so they slid back and forth and made it easy to grab sodas. It was a really nice piece! Someone made me a good offer on it and I sold it. The guts of the radio and record player were used here and there on different little projects where they fit the part and the wires etc. were disposed of. I hated to see it go but we really had no choice.

Yes, that is probably how it will go! I did a little research and found the radio, etc, that is in this one is not one of the “collector” ones. Apparently there is another company that made them and they are a little more scarce. Sounds like you made a lovely, and useful, piece out of yours! xo

If your 1929 record/radio cabinet can’t be restored to functional prefection you might turn it into a liquor cabinet. I can just see a long legged, bobbed haired. lovely pouring out champaign for her guests. Happy New Year!

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...an east coast girl who loves to find and re-invent old treasures, decorate and design rooms without spending a fortune....but have it look as if you did! I love history, health and just anything creative...

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